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How People Live
Arcane Magic Up until around eighty years ago in Thyressa, arcane magic took several times as long to cast as it now does. Do to this, arcane magic was a rarity, and most arcane spellcasters were witches. Due to the rarity of arcane magic it wasn't seen as trustworthy or moral to use, and witch hunts led by divine spellcasters were highly common. Around a hundred and sixty years ago this attitude towards arcane magic cooled a bit after the church started losing influence, and the study of arcane magic became a good deal more common. About eighty years ago new discoveries in casting methods increased the effectiveness of arcane magic, and the study of arcane magic really took off. Some still vehemently oppose it's use, but it's become fairly common, and doesn't have the stigma it once had. Most individuals possess multiple magical devices that they use on a daily basis. Religion Religion in Thyressa is somewhat confused. Though the existence of some sort of higher power is well known, the personalities, desires, and such of these beings is not. As a result, religion is mostly a matter of guesswork. This didn't prevent divine magic users from having most of the legal authority in many kingdoms up until church domination finally hit the point where people refused to tolerate it, however. In the modern era religion is still an important part of many lives, but it isn't the legal force it once was. Energy Electricity generated by alchemical compounds and other magical methods, as well as some nonmagical methods, and transported by power lines, is used to power most household magical devices. Alchemical batteries are also available. Electricity is available to most people, and used for lighting, cooking, heating, cooling, and many other things. Electricity can be used to power magical items, regardless of whether or not the item itself is magical. Production The aid of magic means that a great many items, including weapons, armor, clothing, household items and minor magic items, are mass produced. This means that such items are widely available. Transportation For the average citizen, electric trains are the transportation of choice to cover large distances. Railroads link the vast majority of major settlements, and tickets are fairly cheap unless one wants first class treatment. Within urban areas, electric streetcars are the transportion of choice. For more rural areas and many military and law enforcement applications, horses and horse drawn vehicles are the choice of transportation, though experimental electric horses and carts are being tested as a possible replacement. These are not commercially available, and likely will not be for some time. Range is a large problem that has yet to be surmounted. Trains and streetcars handle the issue with electified rails to recharge them on the move, but non-railed vehicles lack this option. Airships and water ships exist, and are wind powered with the help of spellcasters to control the wind, greatly increasing their speed and mobility. Water ships can carry more cargo and have much more staying power in a battle, but airships have the advantage of much greater speed. In both cases, electricity is used to power on board amenities, but not to propel the ship itself. Food Thanks to preservation technology, such as cannery, dessication, and a couple of magical methods such as freezing, food lasts a long time in Thyressa. This means that it can be transported over long distances and still remain fresh. Combined with alchemical fertilizers and new innovations in farming machiners, this has made all sorts of foods widely available year round. Most people eat a varied diet, and people generally get enough food. Communication Cameras exist in Thyressa, but the quality mostly depends on what sort of plate is being used. Nonmagical plates produce a gritty sepia image, while alchemical plates, depending on quality, can produce a sharp, full color image. These high quality plates can be a little pricey, but not prohibitively so. Small portable travel cameras also exist, but these use magic to store the images, not plates, and therefore must be brought to a spellcaster to have the images extracted and superimposed on photographic paper. Telephones exist, using magic to allow sound to be transmitted along a wire. These are very popular, and most people can afford the monthly service fees to have the spells that make them work renewed. Portable cordless variants also exist, but are highly expensive, and therefore far less popular. A similar piece of technology, which comes in the shape of a large box that shows pictures and sound instead of transmitting sound and is referred to as a television, has just been invented, and, while currently the plaything of the wealthy, looks to be rising in popularity a great deal. Medicine Medical technology in Thyressa is fairly advanced, with the necessary anatomical knowledge and tools to perform surgery being fairly common and both chemical and alchemical methods of fighting infections available. Severely injured people can very often be saved by surgery, and when they can't magical healing may be available from the local divine spellcasters or a witch. A wide variety of medications are also available to control disease and heal physical and mental ailments, though not all of them are completely effective. Psychiatry and psychology are also well known fields, though certainly not perfect. The importance of sanitation for maintaining health and preventing disease is known, and people in Thyressa generally try to remain somewhat clean. The existance of running water and internal plumbing assists this, as do public health organizations that enforce laws governing urban sanitation. Education In most of Thyressa's wealthier countries, free public education exists for the vast majority of citizens during childhood. This is also true in many areas of poorer countries, but not always. Universities generally aren't free, but scholarships my be available. Literacy is virtually universal except in a few extremely poor areas. Other Details More people live in urban areas than rural areas, though the exact percentage differs by area, and service, manufacturing, and entertainment jobs employ more people than military, law enforcement, or agriculture do. Most individuals are middle class, not poor or wealthy. Most wealthy individuals are buiness owners, not nobility. The castle has fallen out of favor with the rise of urbanization and the fall of feudalism, though fortresses built along the same lines as castles are very common military installations. Category:Thyressa